Ninety British MPs so far have signed a Motion in the British Parliament calling on the British government to support a UN led effort to secure dialogue in Burma.
The Motion, timed for Aung San Suu Kyi’s 65th birthday, rejects elections due in Burma later this year, condemns the new constitution, and calls on the UN to work for negotiations to solve the problems in Burma.
The Motion states that the constitution is; “designed to maintain dictatorship in civilian guise and does not grant rights or protection to Burma’s ethnic minorities.”
The Motion criticises previous UN efforts on Burma as misguided, noting; “all diplomatic efforts to reform the dictatorship’s sham roadmap to democracy have failed.”
The Motion; “calls on the (British) Government to support a United Nations-led effort to pressure the dictatorship to enter into such dialogue.”
On Thursday 17th June The Elders also called on the international community to unite around a UN led effort to secure dialogue and national reconciliation.
“British MPs continue to stand by the people of Burma,” said Mary Hla, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK. “This motion shows that British MPs are not fooled by the generals’ fake elections and new constitution. Instead they demand the British government support a UN led effort to secure dialogue, including with ethnic people. For too long the UN has failed to do its job on Burma, now pressure is growing for them to act.”
Early Day Motion 112:
That this House sends its best wishes to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who will spend her 65th birthday in detention on 19 June 2010; calls for the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Burma; rejects the elections planned by Burma’s generals later this year which, due to election laws and ongoing repression in Burma, cannot be free and fair; condemns Burma’s new constitution which is designed to maintain dictatorship in civilian guise and does not grant rights or protection to Burma’s ethnic minorities; notes that all diplomatic efforts to reform the dictatorship’s sham roadmap to democracy have failed; recalls that the United Nations Security Council, General Assembly, Secretary General and Human Rights Council have all stated that the solution to the problems in Burma lies in dialogue between the dictatorship, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, and ethnic representatives; and calls on the Government to support a United Nations-led effort to pressure the dictatorship to enter into such dialogue.